I'm working very hard this year not to make excuses. Don't let your kids practice the habit of making excuses.

Here's a study for you. Take a look at Bible characters. Who made excuses? Who didn't? Take a look at their stories. I'm not saying any story only has one theme. Who made excuses?

Don't go in with preconceived ideas about what this means, what that means. Make observations*. Who made excuses? Where did it get them? Who could have made excuses but didn't? What role did God play? What was His response?

Take a group of older kids (who probably think they already know all they need to know about Bible stories.) Pick a topic like this or an issue they're having. Make them think. Make them search the Word. Let them look for applications. Let them challenge each other and defend why they think that story applies. You might need a hose to put out fires but you'll have a good time!

*I say, "Make observations" but it means "Let the Story teach you," as opposed to making it say what you or (or someone else) want it to say. 

If you'd like another word to search as you're searching out the God of the scriptures - "still", "quiet", "silent", "without words", or "without speaking" (depending on which translation you use) . . . can you think of Bible stories where still or quiet or silence is a key element? Verses?

"Stop fighting!" "anger," "grieve," "weeping" . . . from the last post and this post - words you'll find along the way . . .

I posted the word study then read through it and almost took it down. It leaves us with more questions than answers. Hopefully our relational faith can handle that.

Centuries ago before the days of word studies, I'm guessing that it was the stories, the heroes, that most people remembered. The scriptures are full of stories about tragedy, among them the massacre in Bethlehem and the surrounding area. Talk about a reason to hate God!

But comfort. . .

Where are the songs and stories of comfort? Job. Isaiah.Lamentations. Psalms.  John and the promised Comforter. You can probably find others. There were surely older siblings, parents, family and friends left in the wake of Herod's work...

Scripture is clear that there are times when we are so overcome by tragedy and grief that we can't be comforted. May we find the God of Comfort close to those who need Him. May He wrap His everlasting arms around those who grieve in ways that we can't.

We wish each other Happy Holidays or a Merry Christ-filled Christmas . . .

So sad for so many, this season. Maybe for more people than we know every Christmas season, but this year, the grief is media-public.

Words of comfort ... There are many faces of comfort in these verses... a word study . . .

Read them in context...

Think of specific people or situations in scripture where there is a teacher and a learner.

Lay aside your preconceived ideas and make observations. What do you notice about the teacher? What do you notice about the learner?

Are there similarities? Differences?

Who learned what? Did anyone change? How? Make your observations.